Alstroemeria plant named ‘TESINDIG imp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Tesindig imp.’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; relatively short flowering stems; sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit; numerous large purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TESINDIG imp.’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAlstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, growntypically as a potted garden Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Tesindig imp.’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new potted gardenAlstroemeria plants with numerous attractive flowers and flowercontinuously during the flowering season.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutationof Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesindig’, not patented. The new Alstroemeriaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant from within a population of plants of ‘Tesindig’ in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in June, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by root divisions ina controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlandssince September, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this newAlstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Tesindig imp.’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Tesindig imp.’ as a new and distinctAlstroemeria plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit; relatively short flowering        stems.    -   2. Sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Numerous large purple-colored flowers.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the mutationparent, ‘Tesindig’. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of‘Tesindig’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are larger and more vigorous        than plants of ‘Tesindig’.    -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger leaves than plants        of ‘Tesindig’.    -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger flowers than        plants of ‘Tesindig’.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of theAlstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesmach’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,266.In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Alstroemeria differprimarily from plants of ‘Tesmach’ in flower color as plants of‘Tesmach’ had red purple-colored flowers. Additionally, flowers of thenew Alstroemeria had more stripes than flowers of ‘Tesmach’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Alstroemeria plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical floweringplants of ‘Tesindig imp.’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observationsand measurements were grown during the winter and early spring in 24-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Kudelstaart, TheNetherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesranged from 12° C. to 15° C. and night temperatures averaged 12° C.Plants used in the photograph were 15 weeks old and plants used for thedescription were 22 weeks old. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesindig imp.’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Alstroemeria    hybrida ‘Tesindig’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By root divisions.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About seven            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eight            weeks at temperatures about 16° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and fleshy; thick to thin;            typically white in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.        -   Rhizome length.—About 12.3 cm.        -   Rhizome diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Rhizome texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Rhizome luster.—Slightly glossy.        -   Rhizome color.—Close to 8D.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly            upright plant habit with relatively short flowering stems,            flattened globular; freely branching habit with about 21            primary lateral branches developing per plant; sturdy and            strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 40.8 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Length.—About 13 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 7 mm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Luster.—Moderately glossy.        -   Color.—Close to 144A to 144B; with development, color            becoming closer to 148A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single            whorl; simple.        -   Length.—About 6.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate to narrowly ovate and elliptic; twisting.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Surface faces            downwards; close to 137C to 137D. Developing leaves, lower            surface: Surface faces upwards; close to between 141A and            143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Surface faces            downwards; close to 137C; venation, close to 144A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Surface faces upwards; close            to N137A; venation, close to 144A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm by            5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly glossy. Color:            Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single zygomorphic flowers arranged            in terminal umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly to            slightly upright; perianth segments separate; freely            flowering habit with about ten flowers per inflorescence and            about 90 flowers developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight            weeks after planting; flowering continuous from summer into            the autumn in The Netherlands.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm.            Shape: Narrowly obovate. Color: Close to 145C and 149D;            towards the apex, close to between N79B and 202A; towards            the base, close to 143C.        -   Umbel height.—About 10.7 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 15.2 cm.        -   Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 6.6 cm.        -   Flower length (vertical).—About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 6.8 cm.        -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each            whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner            perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 6.8 cm. Width,            lateral segments: About 2.4 cm. Length, median segment:            About 5.6 cm. Width, median segment: About 2.4 cm. Size,            outer perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 6.2 cm.            Width, lateral segments: About 3.5 cm. Length, median            segment: About 6.5 cm. Width, median segment: About 3.6 cm.            Shape, inner perianth, lateral and median segments:            Oblanceolate. Shape, outer perianth, lateral and median            segments: Obovate. Apex, inner perianth, lateral and median            segments: Abruptly acute. Apex, outer perianth, lateral and            median segments: Emarginate. Base, inner perianth, lateral            and median segments: Narrowly cuneate. Base, outer perianth,            lateral and median segments: Long cuneate. Margin, inner            perianth, lateral and median segments: Entire. Margin, outer            perianth, lateral and median segments: Towards the apex,            finely serrate; towards the base, entire. Texture, inner and            outer perianths, lateral and median segments, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Luster,            inner perianth, lateral and median segments, upper surface:            Dull. Luster, inner perianth, lateral and median segments,            lower surface: Slightly glossy. Luster, outer perianth,            lateral and median segments, upper surface: Matte. Luster,            inner perianth, lateral and median segments, lower surface:            Moderately glossy. Color, inner perianth: When opening,            lateral segments, upper surface: Distally, close to 77A;            apex, close to N79B; proximally, close to NN155A; spots,            close to N186C. When opening, median segment, upper surface:            Close to 77A; apex, close to N79B; towards the base, close            to N78B. When opening, lateral segments, lower surface:            Distally, close to 77A; proximally, close to between 156C            and 186D. When opening, median segment, lower surface: Close            to 77A; apex, close to N79B; towards the base, close to            N78B. Fully opened, lateral segments, upper surface:            Distally, close to N81B; towards the apex, close to N79C;            proximally, close to NN155C; spots, close to between N186C            and 202A; color becoming closer to N82A to N82B with            development. Fully opened, median segment, upper surface:            Close to N81B; towards the apex, close to N81A; color            becoming closer to N82A to N82B with development. Fully            opened, lateral segments, lower surface: Distally, close to            N81A to N81B; towards the apex, close to 77A; proximally,            close to N81C. Fully opened, median segment, lower surface:            Close to N80B; towards the apex, close to N80A. Color, outer            perianth: When opening, lateral and median segments, upper            surface: Close to 77A; apex, close to N79A to N79B; towards            the base, close to 77B to 77C. When opening, lateral and            median segments, lower surface: Close to 77A; center, close            to N79B; apex, close to 203B. Fully opened, lateral and            median segments, upper surface: Close to N82A; apex, close            to N79A to N79B; towards the base, close to N81C; color            becoming closer to N82B and towards the apex, close to N79B            with development. Fully opened, lateral and median segments,            lower surface: Close to N82A; apex, close to N79A to N79B;            towards the base, close to N81C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 30° from stem            axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.            Filament length: About 3.7 cm. Filament color: Close to            N80B; towards the base, close to 150D. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther length: About 8 mm. Anther color: Close to 197B.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 198A.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            4.5 cm. Style length: About 4 cm. Style color: Close to            N82B; towards the base, lighter than N82B. Stigma shape:            Tri-parted; parts, club-shaped, curved. Stigma color: Close            to N81A. Ovary color: Close to 138B with ribbing, close to            N186A.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed on plants of the new Alstroemeria.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Alstroemeria plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate high    temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone    8.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesindigimp.’ as illustrated and described.